


Carolina

by southernsraiders



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26097214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/southernsraiders/pseuds/southernsraiders
Summary: Katara has always been a home town girl. She is originally from south carolina, and when applying to schools she has every intent of staying near home. Her grandmother begs her to apply across the country, telling her to see the world, so on a whim she applies to a school in california, and is accepted. As she moves across the country, miles and miles from what she knows, she faces the sheer uncertainty of her new life. Zuko on the other hand is california born and raised, and chooses to stay there for school. Although he didn’t move thousands of miles from everything he knew, he faces his own level of uncertainty- particularly when this booksmart south carolinian girl catches his eye.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> this au is based off of the song ‘carolina’ by harry styles, and it is a modern college au, that centers around the lyrics and meaning of the song. if you haven’t listened to the song, i highly recommend it! i also recommend looking up a summary of the song itself, but i’ll give you an abridged version; harry went on a blind date with townes, a girl from south carolina who moved to la for school, and the two of them really hit it off. townes is described as a smart but fierce girl who keeps to herself. harry and townes only met once, but he says her vibe was so unforgettable he wrote the song carolina about her. this au won’t go chronologically with the lyrics of the song exactly, but rather the theme of the whole song. zuko and katara are the main focus of this au, with appearances from the other characters as they fit in. enjoy!

Katara closes her eyes and listens to the waves crash on the sand. She’s spent all day on the beach with her friends, and her boyfriend Aang. She is leaving for school in California the next morning, so she’s soaking in her last few moments at home. She opens her eyes and looks up at the moon. She’s going to miss home, but she reminds herself why she’s leaving in the first place. She needs to get out and see the world, like her grandmother told her. She can’t stay a sheltered, sweet, book smart girl forever. She’s desperate for adventure, and starting tomorrow that’s all she plans on having. But before she leaves, she has one more thing to take care of.

“Aang, take a walk down by the shore with me?” She asks him. He nods smiles at her, standing up to follow her. Suddenly she feels guilty, but she knows she needs this. Her friends shoot her supportive glances, and she makes her way down the beach. 

“So what’s up?” He asks when they get down by the ocean. She sighs, not quite sure how to go about this. Aang is her first boyfriend, and they’ve been dating for almost a year now.

“Aang, I wanted to talk to you about us.” She says. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to be together when I’m so far away.” His face drops, and Katara bites her lip and looks away.

“But can’t we make it work?” He asks, almost desperate.

“Aang, it’s not the distance I’m worried about. I think it’s time we parted ways, at least for a bit.” She said, looking back at him.

“If that’s what’s best for you.” He says, sighing.

“Thank you Aang.” She smiles at him, and pulls him into her embrace. Even if they’re not together, she wants him to know she’s still his friend, even if she’s thousands of miles apart. 

“It’s getting late, we should go. You have a big day tomorrow.” He says once they pull apart. Without another word, they make their way back up the beach and head home.

The next day, Katara’s friends come over to say their final goodbyes. They hold each other and cry, and promise they’ll see each other in November. Aang stops by for a bit, but doesn’t stay long. Even if things are over, it’s nice to know he still cares. Her grandmother also stops by, and tells her once again how proud she is that Katara is moving on.

Katara’s parents decided to come with her for her first move in, and to see her brother. Sokka is going to the same school she is, but had to move in a few weeks early for fall training for hockey. In a blur of hugs, car rides, security and waiting, Katara finds herself on the plane, staring out the window as it takes off in the direction of her new life.

And she can’t wait to see what’s in store.

***

Zuko sits at a table in the library, desperately trying to find some inspiration for a new song for his band. He’s been working for hours, and can’t think of anything. He looks up from his laptop, grabs the coffee he got earlier and looks around the library. He’s not sure if it’s because the freshman, who moved in a few days ago were still desperately trying to find their on campus social lives, or if he’d missed some summer work, but the library was packed that day. Every table was full of people talking and working on something. He surveyed the room, surely in this crowd of people there was someone or something interesting enough to write about. 

“This seat taken?” Someone asked. He looked up from his computer, and his eyes landed on a girl he’d never met before. She was fairly short, had long wavy brown hair, and the most beautiful dark blue eyes he’d ever seen.

“Um, no.” He said, regaining his composure. He slid his bag off the table, and she began to set her stuff down.

“Sorry to intrude, but the tables are packed, and you looked non threatening.” She teased. He chuckled. “I’m quiet, I promise, you can continue whatever you’re working on in peace.” She continued.

“No please, interrupt me. I’m getting absolutely nothing done, and my day just got one hundred percent more interesting.” He said as she opened her books. “I’m Zuko, by the way.” 

“Katara.” She said, smiling brightly at him. Katara. Something stuck out about her already. 

“So Katara, where are you from?” He asked, in an attempt to start small talk.

“South Carolina, you?”

“California born and raised.” He paused. “What brings you all the way out here?” He asked, curious.

“My grandmother.” She replied. “She’s always been a dreamer, and couldn’t stand the idea of me staying home for school. I think her exact words were ‘Townes, better swim before you drown.’” Katara told him.

“Townes?” He questioned.

“It’s a childhood nickname. She’s been calling me it for as long as remember.” She replied, smiling. There was a note of nostalgia in her voice, which only made Zuko more intrigued. Something about this girl was absolutely fascinating, and after a few more minutes of chatting, when she had to leave, he started typing immediately. Zuko took note of everything he’d told her in their short conversation. His next big hit was going to be about a girl he hardly knew, and yet somehow it seemed fitting. She was mysterious in every way, and yet he was drawn to her.

And by the looks of the lyrics on the page, he had a lot more research to do before the world would hear this song.


	2. Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello my lovely readers ! so, it’s been a minute hasn’t it ! i’m so sorry for not updating sooner, i got busy with school and other works, and had to sideline this :( i promise to be more consistent with updates, bc i’m still super excited about this story ! i decided to name the chapters after other harry songs, so today’s chapter is named after woman from hs1 <33 lyrics from carolina, the song this story is based of off entirely, are used and italicized ! hope you guys are staying safe and healthy, enjoy the chapter and let me know your thoughts !

Katara sat alone in her dorm the next day, attempting to do some of her homework. She couldn’t stop thinking of the mystery boy who’d let her sit at his table in the library the day before, Zuko. She’d been here only a week and she’d already caught his attention. She knew nothing about him, and he knew nothing about her, but everything felt right between them, and she hoped that day in the library wasn’t the last of him that she’d see.

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door. Her roommate, Toph, wasn’t home, so she guessed it was for her. “Coming!” She called, making her way to the door. She opened it, and there stood her RA, Suki.

“Hey Katara!” She said, smiling at her. Although Katara had just moved in, she’d known Suki for a while now, because she was Sokka’s long term girlfriend. It was purely a coincidence that Suki was in charge of Katara’s floor, but it made Katara feel better knowing she had someone she already knew to go to. “Sorry to drop by unannounced, but my friend’s band is having an open rehearsal in a bit and Sokka can’t make it because he has a hockey thing, so I was wondering if you wanted to come with?” She asked. Katara smiled to herself, slightly surprised that Suki was inviting her.

“That sounds awesome!” She replied enthusiastically. “Come on in while I get ready.” She said, inviting Suki into her room. Suki hopped on Katara’s bed as Katara made her way to her small closet. “So tell me about the band.” She said, shuffling through her clothes.

“Well, they started during my freshman year, last year, just kind of playing parties and small gigs, but have gained some serious traction, including having a couple of their songs play on the local radio stations.” Suki told her. “The concept of the band is really unique, it’s four guys who all change instruments and who sings what song the whole time. Their shows are normally really energetic and fun, and since Sokka and I are friends with one of them, we go to a lot of these rehearsals.”

“Are you sure it’s ok that I come?” Katara asked, turning towards her friend. She’d changed into a simple light blue tank top and matching black skirt while Suki was talking, and moved onto her hair. She’d curled it yesterday, so all she had to do was touch it up a bit.

“Oh of course! They keep the open rehearsals on the down low, but I’m allowed to bring friends, don’t worry.” Suki replied. Katara smiled in relief as she worked on her makeup. She finished that quickly, so she added some simple jewelry, threw on her plain white vans, grabbed her room key, wallet and phone and put them in a small bag, then turned towards Suki once more.

“How do I look?” She asked her friend.

“Incredible as always.” Suki replied, hopping off the bed and moving towards the door. “Let’s get going.”

***

Zuko sat in the library again the next day, in part hoping the mystery girl would show up and ask to sit with him again. He didn’t know what it was, but he couldn’t get her off of his mind. He sat with his laptop open as he worked on Katara’s song. He had plenty of notes about the blue eyed girl who’d approached him yesterday, but nothing quite lyric worthy yet.

“What are you working on?” A voice asked him. He looked up from the computer screen at his friend Sokka.

“Hello to you too, Sokka.” He said as his friend sat down across from him. “I’m writing a song, if you must know.” He continued. A puzzled expression crossed Sokka’s face.

“You’re not much of a lyricist, if I remember correctly.” Sokka replied. Zuko rolled his eyes, but Sokka had a point. Zuko was a music major, not an english major. Smellerbee, one of the other band members, normally wrote most of the lyrics for them, while Zuko handled the composition.

“Yeah, normally I’m not, but I’ve hit a gold mine of inspiration, and I can’t pass up this opportunity.” He told Sokka. Sokka raised an eyebrow. “There’s this girl. I met her yesterday here in the library, and she was absolutely fascinating.” Zuko gushed. Sokka shot him a glance that he chose to ignore. “She’s a freshman, and she’s from South Carolina- hey wait you’re from South Carolina, you might know her!” Sokka rolled his eyes.

“Zuko, South Carolina is a big state, and this is a big university, I probably don’t know her.” Sokka retorted. Zuko shrugged.

“Her name’s Katara-” Zuko started, and Sokka’s jaw dropped. “-and for some reason I felt like even though we were total strangers, we’d met before. It was the-”

“Katara’s my sister.” Sokka said flatly, cutting him off. Now Zuko’s jaw dropped. “Your next big hit is about my little sister.”

“Oh my god.” Zuko said. He felt silly for not realizing it sooner. “Dude, I don’t know how to tell you this, but your sister has absolutely captivated me.” Sokka laughed at him, before it died out and a silence fell between them.

“Just- don’t hurt her Zuko.” Sokka said, a serious expression crossing his face. Zuko looked over at his friend. “I can tell you like her already, and I trust you- both of you- to make good decisions, but she’s still my baby sister and I’ve got to look out for her.”

“I won’t Sokka, I promise.” He vowed to his friend. He meant it, truly. There was something about Katara that was unique, and Zuko wasn’t going to mess this one up.

“Good.” Sokka said, smiling at Zuko. “I’ve got to run, I’ll see you at the band house after your rehearsal?” He asked. Zuko nodded before both of them started to pack their things.

“See you there.” He replied, watching his friend head off. His eyes went back to his computer, and he looked at his mostly blank page, and he sighed. For someone with a lot of ideas, he didn’t seem to have much to show for it, and he knew his bandmates wouldn’t be pleased. He’d promised them this new song for their show in just a few weeks, and they were running out of time to learn it, and he hadn’t even started the instrumentals yet.

“There’s our new lyricist.” A familiar voice teased. It was Jet, one of his bandmates. Zuko groaned and rolled his eyes as Jet leaned slightly over the table Zuko sat at.

“If only I could come up with something.” Zuko replied flatly, turning his computer around so Jet could see the screen.

“This is why Smellerbee writes the lyrics. She’s so much better. And faster.” Jet said smugly.

“Remind me of my shortcomings some more, why don’t you.” Zuko said. Jet laughed.

“Weren’t you going to write about that girl you wouldn’t shut up about?” Jet teased. Zuko nodded. “Then get going! You have plenty to say.”

“But I don’t know how to say it!” Zuko said, exasperated. He glanced at the clock. “Aw shit, we’re going to be late for our own rehearsal.” He said, reaching to grab his things.

He and Jet quickly made their way to the rehearsal area, where the rest of the band was setting up. They both said their apologies and started to get ready for the night ahead, quickly setting their things down and heading to the stage. Zuko checked the setup of instruments, making sure they were ready to go in order, and got ready for the first song, which he would be singing. The band liked to switch roles, but he was primarily in charge of vocals and guitar, which he needed to tune. He grabbed it quickly and started strumming as he looked out across the crowd, subconsciously looking for the blue eyed mystery girl from the library. He caught himself thinking about her again and sighed. He hadn’t bothered to tell her about the rehearsal, so how would she even know to be here?

Still, some part of him hoped rumors spread quickly, and that maybe she’d be out in the crowd.

***

Katara looked around the big warehouse like space where the band was having their rehearsal. Suki wasn’t lying when she said that they kept rehearsals on the down low, there couldn’t have been more than twenty people in the whole room. Katara looked around the crowd of mostly older students, minus the group of giggly freshman girls who she couldn’t quite tell if they had a connection or had snuck in. Her peers stood around chatting, waiting for the band to take the stage, and she and Suki did the same.

“Good evening everyone.” A familiar voice said into the microphone. Katara whipped her head towards the stage and her heart rate increased. It was the boy from the library yesterday.

“That’s my friend,” Suki started, pointing slightly towards the stage. “He’s a sophomore like me, and his name is-”

“Zuko.” Katara said breathlessly, not taking her eyes off of him. She was completely and utterly in shock. He’d told her he was writing a song for his band, but for some reason she didn’t expect his band to be this band.

“You know Zuko?” Suki asked, puzzled. Katara regained her composure and turned back to Suki.

“We met yesterday in the library.” She told Suki, and Suki raised an eyebrow. “All the tables were full, so I ended up sitting together. Nice guy.”

“Oh… I see.” Suki teased, elbowing her friend. Katara’s face flushed, and she turned back towards the stage. Her eyes caught Zuko’s, who still stood behind the microphone, strumming his guitar. Feeling bold, she winked at him, and it seemed to catch him off guard. Katara smirked as the band started to play.

They were good, really good. Katara hadn’t heard anything like them before, but it was probably because she didn’t see much live music before. She enjoyed the whole band, but couldn’t keep her eyes off of Zuko. He played each instrument with such dedication and talent, she could tell that this was a true passion of his and not just something he did for fun. His singing voice was even more incredible, and Katara felt herself get lost in the music as he sang their last few songs.

“Thank you guys for coming out tonight, we’ll see you next time!” Zuko called out to the crowd at the end of the show. Everyone cheered, Katara included. The crowd started to leave the room, and Katara turned to leave as well, before Suki grabbed her arm and held her back. Katara turned towards her to ask why she held her back, but was interrupted before she could speak.

“Suki!” A familiar voice called. It was Zuko. Katara and Suki both turned towards him, but he didn’t seem to notice that Katara was standing there. Suki smiled and embraced her friend.

“Great job tonight Zuko.” She said, smiling at him. “Sokka couldn’t make it to the show, but he’ll see us at your place.” Zuko nodded, then looked over Suki’s shoulder, back to where Katara stood.

“Katara?!” He exclaimed, surprised. Katara smirked. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise.” Katara teased. “Suki invited me in Sokka’s place.”

“Well I’m glad you came.” He replied smoothly. Their eyes met for a few moments and Katara smiled at him.

“Let’s get out of here.” Suki said, giggling at them. Katara’s face flushed as the three of them made their way out of the rehearsal area. Katara followed closely behind Suki as they met up with the rest of the band, and made their way to a small house on campus.

“Welcome to our humble establishment.” Zuko said as they walked in the front door and headed for the kitchen. The band put their stuff down, while Suki and Katara took a seat at the large kitchen table. A few other students that she had seen at the rehearsal came in as the band came back, and everyone started talking. Katara looked around the room, suddenly feeling a little shy. Everyone here was older than her, and already seemed to know each other.

“Hey guys!” Someone called, entering the room. It was her brother, Sokka. Everyone chorused their hellos as he made his way over to where Katara and Suki sat. He ruffled her hair as he walked past her then leaned down to kiss Suki on the cheek, before taking a seat next to her and throwing his arm around her. Suki smiled at him and rested her head on Sokka’s shoulder. “How was the show tonight?”

“Really good.” Katara said, smiling at him. “I’ve never heard anything quite like their songs, but I totally dig it.” Sokka raised an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah little sis? Sure you didn’t ‘dig it’ for other reasons?” He teased. Katara rolled her eyes and took a sip of the drink she’d gotten a few minutes ago, looking out around the room. Sokka and Suki turned to talk to Jet, one of the other band members, and Zuko was talking to a few girls from the show.

Eventually, the other students started to trickle out, but Katara wasn’t ready to head home quite yet. As the room emptied, the conversation grew to include everyone still there, and Katara had crossed the room and taken a seat on the corner of the counter, swinging her legs as she listened to her peers.

“So Katara, I heard you liked the show.” Zuko said, suddenly appearing next to her. Katara nearly choked on her drink as he leaned up against the counter she sat on.

“I did.” She said calmly, regaining her composure. “You guys sounded incredible.”

“So I guess that means you’ll be sticking around?” He asked. She nodded. “Good. Maybe you can be my new good luck charm, Townes.” Katara’s face flushed and she hit his shoulder.

“I can’t believe you remembered that.” She said, giggling.

“How could I forget?” He replied, smiling at her.

“It’s so embarrassing.” She said, staring at the floor.

“I think it’s cute.” He said, shrugging and taking a sip of his drink. Katara glanced over at him and her heart fluttered. Suddenly, someone cleared their throat, interrupting them.

“Hey Katara, Suki and I were going to get going.” Sokka said, standing in front of them, with Suki behind him.

“Oh!” Katara said, setting down her drink and getting ready to hop down from the counter.

“You don’t have to leave just yet if you don’t want to, Townes.” Zuko said, winking at her. Katara’s face flushed. “If you want to stick around, I can take you home whenever.” He offered. Katara smiled at him and turned back to Sokka and Suki, and Sokka’s mouth hung open in shock, presumably at Zuko’s use of her grandmother’s nickname for her.

“I’ll stay here for a bit, you guys go ahead.” She said. Suki beamed at her, while Sokka raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure?” He asked. He was in one of his protective moods again.

“Let me have some fun, will you?” She retorted, rolling her eyes. Sokka sighed, and they bid each other their goodbyes. Not long after, she and Zuko were the only ones left in the kitchen. They had been so deep in conversation, they hardly noticed everyone else leaving. Katara learned a lot about this ‘mystery boy’, how he was born here in California, and lived only about forty five minutes away. He had a younger sister who was still in high school, and his father was the CEO of some big company, hence the band’s ability to own a house on campus. He didn’t have a great relationship with his father, but he loved his mother dearly. He’d done theatre in middle and high school, but was always into guitar and piano- which he was classically trained in- which led him to major in music. He wanted to continue his music career, with the band or not, and told her about wanting to perform in front of crowds other than campus concerts, or hear his songs on radio stations other than the campus one. Katara had already told him a lot yesterday, but it felt nice to get to know him. He paused and looked around at one point, and laughed at the empty kitchen.

“We sure know how to clear a room, don’t we.” He joked. Katara’s turn to laugh.

“Clearly.” She replied. She caught him glance over at her, and their eyes met. Something about his golden eyes reminded her of home, and even though they’d only known each other for a day, Katara felt like she was back on a warm South Carolina beach in Zuko’s company. She decided his eyes looked like her favorite time of day, just before the sun set, when the sky was filled with a mix of blue and orange hues, and the setting sun made the whole world look golden. She remembered countless days on the beach with her family and friends, getting in that last surf or swim before night fell when she looked in his eyes, and it made her never want to look away.

“Hey,” He started, glancing towards the hallway. “Let’s head upstairs, I’ve got a song to work on.”

“Are you sure you want me around for that?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I work best around other people.” He replied, turning and heading towards the stairs. Katara hopped off the counter and followed him.

Zuko led Katara up the stairs and into his room, and headed straight for his desk that sat in the corner. He took a seat and got right to work on what she figured was his normal song writing routine. She glanced around the room, which was decorated pretty much as she expected. There was a bed opposite the desk, various movie and band posters on the walls, colorful lights wrapped around the ceiling, and a photo wall above his bed. She observed the pictures, there were a few of his family, a bunch of the band, and lots that she didn’t recognize, so assumably they were friends back home.

“God where are my manners!” Zuko said, looking up at her. “You can sit anywhere you’d like.” He said warmly. Katara smiled at him and took a seat on the bed crossing her legs and looking over at him. He was looking intently at his laptop, and Katara found his concentration face adorable. He was clearly passionate about his craft, and she admired him for it.

“Maybe if I just get a baseline…” He muttered, shutting his laptop suddenly. He reached up and grabbed the shiny blue guitar off of the wall where it hung, then hopped up on the bed next to her. “Mind if I sit here?” He asked.

“It’s your bed.” She teased, smirking. Zuko chuckled, then glanced back at the instrument in his arms. “Your guitar is beautiful, I love the color.” She said shyly, looking over at him.

“It’s a bass, actually.” He teased. “But thanks. I got it for Christmas last year. Blue’s not normally my color but…” He trailed off, looking up into her eyes. “I think it might be one of my favorites now.” He said. Katara’s face flushed and they sat in peaceful silence for a moment, before Zuko piped up again. “Do you miss home?” He asked.

“I thought I would, but honestly I don’t miss it too much. I miss my parents of course, but other than that, not really.” She replied. “You kind of remind me of home, in a weird way.” SHe blurted out.

“How so?” Zuko asked, looking intently at her.

“Your eyes, the gold reminds me of the beach.” She admitted, slightly embarrassed. Zuko’s face flushed and he smiled at her. “I was worried I’d be alone out here but, let’s just say I’ve had a warm welcome.”

“I’m glad you feel at home, Townes.” He said, looking down at the bass that rested in his lap. A silence fell over them, and he began to strum out a melody, as if he had suddenly found inspiration again. Katara leaned back and listened to it, and even if it was a simple bassline, something about him playing it made it sound like the best song in the world.

***

Zuko and Katara sat in his room for almost two more hours, talking as he worked through his song. He was itching to write some lyrics, but he decided to keep it a surprise, so he couldn’t risk writing in front of her.

“It’s late, I should get going.” She said, glancing at the clock on the dresser. She stood up and started to grab her things, and Zuko hung his bass back on the wall.

“I can walk you home, if you’d like?” He offered, standing up.

“Oh don’t worry about that.” She said, smiling. “You shouldn’t have to walk halfway across campus and back for me.”

“You shouldn’t have to walk halfway across campus alone.” He retorted softly, stepping closer to her.

“If you insist.” She said, turning towards the door.

They stepped out into the warm night air, and headed towards Katara’s dorm, chatting slightly as they went. Katara was telling some story about surfing, and Zuko listened, fascinated by her passion for the sport.

“I should drag you along some time.” She said, nudging his shoulder and looking over at him.

“No thank you.” He said, raising his shoulders. “Tried once as a kid. I’m terrible.”

“Oh come on! I could teach you!” She insisted. Zuko sighed dramatically.

“I’ll cut you a deal.” He said, turning to face her. “I let you take me surfing, if you promise to come to the band’s shows.” Zuko proposed.

“That’s it?!” Katara asked. “I was planning on coming anyway! Don’t you want something more?” Zuko shook his head and smiled.

“Tonight was one of the best rehearsals I’ve had in a while.” He said, looking over at her. “I think you’re a good luck charm.” Katara smiled and extended her hand towards his.

“It’s a deal.” She said. Zuko took her hand and they shook on it, laughing. They stood looking at each other for what felt like the millionth time that night, then Katara cleared her throat. “This is my building.” She said, looking towards the entrance, then back at him.

“Thanks for coming tonight.” Zuko said, smiling. Katara reached him and kissed his cheek.

“Thanks for having me.” She said, before turning and heading inside. Zuko brought his hand to his cheek where she had kissed it as he watched her walk away. Once she was well inside, he turned and headed right back to his house.

He practically sprinited into his room, eager to get all of his feelings from the night into the future song before they melted away. He started typing furiously, looking back on their interactions over the past two days. Whatever lack of inspiration he felt the previous afternoon had disappeared entirely, and the lyrics practically flew out of his mind and onto the page.

_She’s got a family in Carolina_   
_So far away, but she says I remind her of home_   
_Feeling oh so far from home_   
_She never saw herself as a west coaster_   
_Moved all the way ‘cause her grandma told her_   
_“Townes, better swim before you drown”_

He looked up from his computer after the last line, and over at his bass, that hung faithfully on the wall. The blue seemed a bit brighter as he wrote about Katara, the color so similar to her eyes that it was almost telling him to continue. He looked back at the page, and decided he’d hopefully have more ideas to write about soon. He knew she was different, that he’d never felt this way about anyone before, and he couldn’t wait to see her again.

Katara had been right, it was late, so Zuko quickly got ready for bed, and admittedly fell asleep thinking about her, and hoping she was thinking about him too.


	3. Adore You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello loves !! it hasn’t been terribly long since the last update, who’s proud ?! today’s chapter is named after harry’s song from fine line, adore you ! once again the lyrics used from carolina are in italics :) content warning for drinking/alcohol in the second half, nothing major but i figured i should put it out there !! i hope you guys enjoy and lmk your thoughts !!

Katara woke up the next day to the sounds of her roommate Toph talking loudly on the phone as she got ready for the day. Katara grumbled and checked her phone. It was barely 7 am, and Toph was already making a racket. She looked at the screen for a second, where texts from Suki and Sokka awaited her reply. Toph loudly dropped something from the closet across the room and Katara rolled her eyes.   
  
“Keep it down!” She called to her roommate, reaching over and chucking a pillow across the room. The pillow smacked her in the leg, and Toph shot her a sour look and gestured to her cellphone, that was tucked between her shoulder and ear. Katara sat up as Toph finished her call, and hung up the phone.

“I was on the phone with Yaling. You know, the nice girl from my 8 am.” She hissed. Katara’s hand flew to her mouth and she cheered. Toph shot her a second sour glance. “We’re getting brunch after class today.”   
  
“You’re going on a date!” Katara shrieked. 

“Keep it down!” Toph yelled. “She’s picking me up and could literally be outside right now!”   
  
“Awww someone’s embarrassed!” Katara teased. Toph’s face flushed, before she smirked.   
  
“Shouldn’t you be dreaming about that mystery guitar player you went out with last night?” Toph countered. Katara’s face flushed.   
  
“His name is Zuko, but we did  _ not  _ go out last night. We hung out at his place. In a group.” Katara replied, crossing her arms. 

“Really? Because Suki said she and Sokka left you two alone in the house when she got home last night.” Toph replied. Katara sighed. Toph had her there. Before she could try and uphold her useless defense any longer, there was a knock on the door.    
  
“Your girlfriend’s here.” Katara said smugly. 

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Toph replied, not even turning around as she headed for the door. Sure enough, it was Yaling. She and Toph chatted nervously at the door for a moment, and Katara hung back, still sitting in bed, eavesdropping. Toph eventually came to grab her bag, and Yaling followed her into their small dorm area. 

“Oh, I should introduce you two!” Toph said. “Yaling, this is my roommate Katara.” Toph said, smiling.    
  
“Katara! I’ve heard a lot about you, it’s lovely to meet you.” Yaling said warmly. Katara smiled at her.   
  
“I’ve heard plenty about you too, it’s great to finally meet you.” She replied. Yaling’s cheeks turned slightly rosy, and Katara giggled.   
  
“Well we should go. Catch you later ‘Tara!” Toph said, before she and Yaling left for class. Once they stepped out, Katara got out of bed and quickly made it, grabbing the pillow she tossed at Toph earlier from across the room in the process. She didn’t have class until later, so she grabbed an old tshirt and athletic from her closet and quickly changed out of her pajamas, and tied her hair up in a bun. She slid on a pair of flip flops and grabbed her bathroom caddy to go finish getting ready in the bathrooms down the hall.

Once she got back to her room, she grabbed her phone to check on the texts she’d glanced at earlier. First was Suki, a series if messages she must not have seen the night before

**suki**

_ 9:17 pm _

_ s: so, how is it?  _

_ 10:32 pm _

_ s: you’re still there? damn girl! this is either very interesting or very scary _

_ 11:14pm  _

_ s: sokka made me promise to wait until i heard you come home, but if you don’t come back tonight, i won’t snitch ;) i’m calling it, stay safe kiddo. _

Katara smiled to herself at the last one, although it was a little embarrassing to think Sokka was worried she’d spend the night after only their second time meeting. She quickly texted Suki back.

_ 7:02 am _

_ k: i got home just after you fell asleep, thanks for offering to cover for me tho _

_ s: now i never said that! if you get involved with a boy you’re on your own for telling sokka _

Katara laughed and sent her a couple of good natured emojis, before moving on. Next up was Sokka.

**the big bro**

_ 11:31 pm _

_ s: suki hasn’t told me she heard you come home yet _

_ s: you’re either still out or she’s failing me _

_ 12:04 am _

_ s: katara. where. are. you. _

_ s: you better not still be at zuko’s _

_ s: ok, that was harsh, but grown up or not you’re still my little sister and i’ve got to look out for you. _

_ 1:20 am _

_ s: ok i’m going to sleep now, if you’re still with zuko make sure you either stay there or he walks you home. if you need a ride call me. love ya! _

Katara smiled at the last message, before quickly replying, telling him she’d gotten home and missed his messages. He teased her about being irresponsible and she rolled her eyes. She’d missed him a lot during her senior year. Suddenly, her phone buzzed and she received a text from a number she didn’t recognize.

**Unknown Number**

_ 7:05 am _

_ UN: good morning _

_ k: hello ?? _

_ k: who is this _

_ UN: relax townes, it’s me :) _

Katara gasped out loud at the last message. She hadn’t remembered giving him her number.

**zuko**

_ 7:06 am _

_ z: suki gave me your number _

_ k: very kind of her _

_ z: what’s your schedule today?  _

_ k: i’m supposed to get lunch with a friend after class, and i’ve got some work to do this morning _

_ z: i can work with that. anything you want to do? _

_ k: i could use a beach day _

_ z: done. come over after your lunch, i’ll be here all day _

Katara felt butterflies in her stomach as she read the last message. She hadn’t expected Zuko to take such interest in her so quickly, but she was excited. She set her phone on her nightstand and grabbed her computer and books, because as she told Zuko, she had some work to get done. 

Time flew, and before she knew it she was having lunch with her friend Yue after their general education class. They were both education majors, Yue was decided on elementary, but Katara hadn’t decided on a level quite yet. She and Yue decided on one of the smaller, less crowded dining halls on campus, and got in and out fairly quickly. Yue had another class and Katara had a beach day to get ready for, so she and Yue split ways, and she found herself back in her dorm, getting ready. She quickly threw on her favorite bikini, a strappy blue top with black bottoms, slid on white jean shorts and a yellow tank top, grabbed a bag with a towel and other beach essentials, put on a pair of sunglasses, slid on some flip flops, then headed for Zuko’s.

She rang the doorbell just a few moments later, and to her surprise one of Zuko’s bandmates she recognized from the night before answered it.

“Katara!” The girl said cheerfully as she opened the door. Katara scrambled to remember her name, but came up with nothing. The girl must’ve noted her distress, because she laughed lightly. “I’m Smellerbee, one of the band members.”   
  
“Nice to see you again. Great job last night.” Katara replied warmly. Smellerbee smiled.

“Thanks!” She replied. “Come on in! I assume you’re here to see Zuko, he went out about ten minutes ago, I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” Katara nodded and followed her in the house and back to the kitchen they had spent the night before in. Smellerbee took a seat at the island in the middle of the room, and Katara hopped up on the counter. They talked for a bit, when one of the other band members came in and introduced himself as Jet. He quickly joined their conversation, and about five minutes passed before Zuko walked in the front door. 

“Townes!” He said, walking into the kitchen. She smiled at him. “Back up on the counter I see.” He teased. Katara shrugged and Smellerbee and Jet chuckled. “I have everything packed, you ready to go?” He asked.

“Yep!” Katara replied cheerfully, hoping down from the counter and grabbing her bag. “It was nice talking to you guys.” She said to Smellerbee and Jet.

“I’m sure we’ll see you soon.” Jet joked. Katara’s face flushed and she turned and headed out the door, following Zuko to his car. They weren’t too far from the beach, so their ride wouldn’t take long.

“So I’ve been dying to ask, where does the name ‘Townes’ really come from?” Zuko asked, reaching over to turn down the music they had been playing. It was a slightly breezy day, perfect for a drive with the windows down.

“It’s some old actress my grandmother loves. When I was little she said I was quite the diva, so she started calling me Townes as a joke.” Katara replied, slightly embarrassed. There was something so vulnerable about opening up and telling a childhood story to someone you just met, even if it was someone like Zuko.

“That’s adorable.” Zuko said, glancing over at her and smiling. Maybe it was something about the day, but Katara felt butterflies in her stomach when he looked at her. “Would your grandmother say you’re still a diva?” He teased. Katara reached over and slapped his shoulder lightly.

“Hey!” She protested, offended. Zuko laughed and she crossed her arms. “No, she would not.” 

“Are you sure?” He joked once more. Katara rolled her eyes, trying desperately to conceal her amusement. “Oh c’mon Townes, it’s funny.”

“A little.” She admitted stubbornly. He laughed once more and she joined him this time. Their laughter faded out to peaceful silence, just happy to be together for the rest of the drive. Katara studied him as he stared ahead at the road. He had a scar on his face that she was dying to ask about, but she restrained. She figured if he wanted her to know, he’d tell her on his own time. 

Soon enough, Zuko was parking on the beach. They quickly grabbed their things and headed down onto the sand. Zuko brought a couple of chairs and an umbrella for them, so they found a spot and got set up quickly. Once they had set up and put on sunscreen, Katara laid down on a towel and grabbed her book. She opened it and had just begun to hunt for the page when she glanced at Zuko, who looked down at her with his arms crossed, frowning.

“What?” She asked him, leaning back on her elbows.

“You made me drive all the way out here to read?” He teased. “You’re a bookworm, aren’t you Townes.”   
  
“I pride myself in having a book for everything.” She replied smugly. “And what’s wrong with a little beach reading?”   
  
“Oh, nothing.” He replied, smirking. “Except we’re going swimming.” He said, equally as smug. Katara raised an eyebrow, but without another word he reached over and picked her right up off the towel.

“Put me down!” She shrieked, dropping her book in surprise. Zuko laughed and started towards the ocean.

“Oh come on, you know you like it.” He joked. Katara couldn’t help but agree, something about the way he’d just swept her up felt natural. Feeling bold, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Oh, I could get used to it.” She teased. Zuko’s face flushed and she giggled. Once they reached the water, he set her down and she dove right under water and he followed suit. They swam around for a while, occasionally splashing each other when they came up for air. After a while, they got tired of swimming, and decided to head back to their spot. Zuko took a seat in one of the chairs, while Katara laid back down on the towel from earlier. She grabbed her discarded book from earlier, and they sat in silence for a while.

***

Zuko had admittedly drifted off a little, and it was now close to sunset. Zuko looked around the beach a couple times, then glanced down at Katara, who was busy tying her hair into two long dutch braids.

“Ooh! Do mine next!” He joked, smiling at her. She looked up at him and smirked, typing off the end of the second braid. 

“Well since you asked…” She teased. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pack of black hair ties, and stood up. Zuko opened his mouth to protest, then quickly changed his mind. He might as well let this happen. She walked up behind him and got to work, and Zuko melted at the feeling of her hands running through his hair. She pulled at it lightly, and Zuko felt like fireworks were going off in his brain. 

“Done!” She said triumphantly, tying off the second braid. Zuko instantly reached for his phone to check out her handiwork.

“You know, I kinda dig it Townes.” He said, brushing his hands over the two bdutch braids she’d done to match hers. “I should rock this on stage some time.” He joked. Katara laughed.

“Well if you ever decide to, I’m your girl.” She joked. Butterflies filled his stomach. ‘ _ His girl.’  _ He liked the sound of that.

“Come here.” She said. Zuko looked up to see her standing with her phone in her hand, facing away from the sunset. He shot her a puzzled glance and she grinned at him, encouraging him. He shrugged and stood up, walking over to her. Without warning, she wrapped her arm around him and drew him close, extending the phone in front of them and smiling widely. He followed suit, and she snapped a picture in front of the sunset. “Since we match and all..” She said softly once they pulled apart.

“Send me that?” He asked. 

“Of course.” She replied, quickly texting it to him. He looked at the picture as it came through and felt his face flush at how happy and natural they looked together. Neither of them spoke for a moment, before Zuko piped up.

“Hey, do you need to be home for anything?” He asked, looking back up at her.

“No. Back to your room for more songwriting?” She teased. Zuko’s face flushed.

  
“You think that’s all I’ve got for date ideas?” He retorted. Katara’s eyes went wide for a split second, and Zuko’s heart rate increased. They’d technically never discussed this as a date, and the panic in Katara’s eyes made him nervous.   
  
“A date, huh?” She asked, regaining her composure and crossing her arms. “I didn’t know I was on a date.” 

“Uh.. Sorry I guess I just kind of figured, well hoped that this was-” He started, flustered. Katara burst out laughing. 

“I’m messing with you!” She said quickly. “I was kind of hoping it was too.”

“Oh yeah?” Zuko asked her. “Well how am I doing?”   
  
“Pretty good.” She replied, smiling. “But I’ll give an extensive report tonight.”   
  
“After we go to the boardwalk?” He asked slyly. Her eyes brightened.

“That sounds amazing.” She replied.

With that, they packed up their things and dumped all of their beach stuff in the car and slid their clothes back on over their bathing suits. It was a short drive to the boardwalk, so soon enough they sat in a small pizza shop, waiting for their dinner to arrive and talking. 

“You know it’s a shame you don’t have a board.” Katara noted once they had started eating. Zuko shot her a confused glance over his slice of pizza. “So you can hold up your end of the deal!”   
  
“You haven’t fulfilled yours yet, Townes.” He retorted. Katara glared at him.

“You’ve only had one show. Technically I’ve been to all of them.” She replied smugly. Zuko’s face fell and she laughed.

“Well, we have one tomorrow, so how about you work on your end then.” He replied. Her face lit up and she smiled widely.

“Won’t miss it.”   
  
Soon enough they finished up their dinner and went back to strolling down the boardwalk. At some point Katara had taken his hand, and Zuko’s chest swelled as they wandered up and down, fingers interlocked. They stopped at a few of those scammy game stalls, and Zuko ended up winning a purple teddy bear at ring toss, which he promptly passed to Katara. They walked around, one of her arms cradling her gift and the other down by her side, still holding Zuko’s hand, when they got to the amusement park at the end, which was going to close shortly.

“One last thing for the night?” He asked her.

“Whatever do you have in mind?” She asked, glancing up at him. He smiled softly.

“The ferris wheel here was my favorite thing in the world as a kid. Take a ride with me?” He asked.

“I’d love to.” She replied, and without another thought they headed right for it, and managed to make it on just in time. They sat side by side in the small cart, and Zuko put his arm around her as the ride started. The ride paused to let someone else on just a few moments later, then continued smoothly. Zuko smiled to himself as Katara’s face lit up in awe of the view. The beach and boardwalk looked beautiful at night, especially then. The ride continued until they were perfectly at the top, where it stopped. Katara glanced around for a moment, before looking right into his eyes, which made Zuko’s heart rate accelerate.

“Well…” She started, still looking at him. “You know what they say about stopping at the top of a ferris wheel.” And without another word, she cupped his cheek with her hand, her fingers resting lightly on his scar, and kissed him. It caught him off guard at first, but he wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her in closer, deepening the kiss. They pulled apart, and Zuko felt him smiling, possibly the brightest he’d ever smiled.

“Wow. You’re good, Townes.” He teased, practically lightheaded with joy.    
  
“Let’s just say I’ve seen enough rom coms in my day.” She replied, laughing. 

“Well I’m quite thankful for it.” He said, smirking. Katara’s face flushed and she leaned over and kissed him again.

Soon enough the ride was over, and they were heading back to his car for the drive home. They didn’t talk much, because the exhaustion of the day had hit them both, but he kept his fingers laced through hers as he drove back to campus. It was even shorter of a drive at night, with hardly anyone else on the roads, so he found himself parking in front of her dorm. Zuko watched her gather her things, and couldn’t help but think how he didn’t want today to end. Maybe if he had it his way, he wouldn’t be dropping her off for the night-

“Thanks, Zuko.” She said softly, snapping him back to reality.    
  
“Anytime.” He replied. “So how’d I do?” He asked.

“You didn’t think I was actually going to give you a review, did you?” She asked. Zuko gave her a blank stare. “You did amazing.”   
  
“Goodnight, Townes.” He said, smiling.

“Goodnight, Z.” She replied. He felt butterflies in his stomach at the new nickname, and she giggled. She leaned over and kissed him one last time for the night, before exiting the car and heading inside. He watched her sneak inside and smiled to himself, before backing out and heading home. 

***   
  
The next morning, Katara sat on her bed, cuddling the bear Zuko had won her and watching some netflix on her laptop, when suddenly her door was yanked open. Toph was hanging out with Yaling again, so Katara knew it wasn’t her roommate coming home, so she looked up to find Suki had let herself in.

“You-” She started, pointing across the accusingly. “Went out with Zuko yesterday!” She shrieked. Katara practically threw her laptop across the bed, and quickly sat up.

“No I didn’t!” She retorted, lying right through her teeth. Suki quickly whipped out her cell phone and shoved it right in Katara’s face.

“Then what is this?!” She demanded. Katara swore under her breath. She’d completely forgotten about her inability to resist posting the picture she took with Zuko in front of the sunset on her instagram story.   
  
“Fine! You caught me.” Katara said, throwing her arms up in mock surrender.   
  
“My baby sister did it!” Suki cheered, sitting down on the bed and throwing her arms around Katara.

“We’re not sisters, Suki.” Katara replied flatly, once they pulled apart. Suki shot her a glance and crossed her arms.

“I think you and I both know that your brother can’t live without me. Don’t worry- you’ll be my maid of honor.” Suki said, nudging Katara’s shoulder. Katara rolled her eyes, but she knew it was probably true.

“Only if I have a say in the bridesmaid dresses.” Katara replied.   
  
“Enough about my hypothetical wedding.” Suki said. “Tell. Me. Everything.”

Katara sighed and recounted the events to the previous day, and Suki hung onto every word. When she was finished, Suki raved on and on about how cute it was, how good they looked together- which earned her a smack on the shoulder- and Katara smiled to herself as SUki gushed on and on. She would never admit it, but spending yesterday- with  _ him _ \- was probably the most fun she had had in months. Something about them felt so natural, so perfect, so amazing, and she hoped she’d get a second date soon.

As if he knew she was thinking about him, Katara’s phone buzzed with a text from Zuko.

**zuko <33**

_ 11:13 am _

_ z: you busy? _

_ k: i have class soon, but not rn _

_ z: coffee? _

_ k: see you in 10 _

“Sorry Suki, but I’ve got to go.” She said, hopping off her bed.

“What’s up?” Suki asked **.** **  
** **  
** “I’m getting coffee with Zuko.”   
  
Sure enough, he was waiting for her at the cafe just down the street. She quickly got her regular order- a caramel iced latte with almond milk, to be exact- and joined him.

“Hey.” She said as she slid in the booth he sat at. He typed furiously away at his computer, his face stone like with concentration. 

“Hey, Townes.” He replied, his face softening as he looked up at her. “How was the rest of your night?”   
  
“Pretty boring.” She replied. ‘ _ Without you, that is.’  _ She added mentally, not daring to say that last part out loud. “Yours?”   
  
“Not bad.” He said plainly. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was.

“What are you working on, more songwriting?” She asked, sipping her drink.

“No, homework.” He said, rolling his eyes. “But that reminds me, I have a show tonight, I should probably get out of here to get ready when you head to class.”    
  
“A show? Tonight?” She asked, her eyes wide. “And you didn’t invite me?”

“Yeah… it’s some kid’s off campus pool party. Jet booked it.” Zuko grumbled. “That’s why I didn’t invite you. It’s not my invitation.” Katara frowned.   
  
“But I made a promise.” She countered, thinking. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d snuck into a party uninvited, so she’d have no trouble getting away with this…

“Uh oh.” Zuko said, sipping his drink. “You’re planning something, aren’t you?”   
  
“We had a deal.” She replied smugly. 

“You’re nothing but trouble, Townes.”   
  
“I’ll see you tonight.”   
  
Sure enough, a few hours and two classes later, Katara had gathered enough information on the party to hopefully get herself in the door. Her friend Yue was friends with the host, so Katara wouldn’t be alone, so she did her hair and makeup, but on a new bikini- a red set this time- black denim shorts and flip flops, and headed for the party.

Getting in the door was extremely easy, all it took was a bit of in good taste flirting with the poor kid they made sit guard, and a bit of pouting about a lost invitation she’d never received in the first place, and she found herself standing with Yue near the edge of the pool, sipping on a hard lime seltzer and watching the band set up and play their show.   
  
They played almost the exact set they played at the rehearsal the other night, and when Zuko got up to sing their last song she finally caught his gaze and waved. He smiled in return, acknowledging that he had seen her and Katara smiled before turning to see Yue staring at her, awestruck.   
  
“Wait- isn’t that the guy you went to the beach with yesterday?” Yue asked. Katara nodded and took a sip of her drink. “Wow, you know how to pull em, Katara.”   
  
“I guess so.” Katara replied, smirking.   
  
The band finished their set just after sunset, so the backyard was now illuminated by various colorful spotlights and leftover light from the house. Zuko came and found her immediately, holding two red cups.    
  
“Hey!” She said as he approached. “Great job up there.”   
  
“Thanks, Townes.” He said, handing her a cup. She took a sip, it was the spiked punch she had heard someone mention earlier.

“This is Yue.” Katara said, gesturing to her friend. “We have an education class together.”   
  
“Did you sneak in here too?” He asked her. Yue laughed.   
  
“No, that’s all Katara. I’m a family friend of the host.” Yue replied. Zuko chuckled, and Yue excused herself, distracted by a friend who had approached her suddenly. She and Zuko chatted a bit, some of the other band members and guests stopping by occasionally and stealing his attention, and eventually he got pulled into some game, and Katara found herself talking to some girls she didn’t know.   
  
An hour later, the music was blaring, she had had a few more drinks, and Katara hadn’t seen Zuko since just after their show. She was dancing in the large group, when one of her favorite songs came on over the speakers.   
  
“I love this song!” Katara yelled to Yue, who had rejoined her in the hour since they parted. One of the other girls she had been hanging out with poked her head around the other side of Yue.   
  
“Get up there, girl!” She called, gesturing to the table they stood around. People had gotten to the point in their alcohol consumption where they couldn’t help but dance on elevated surfaces, which Katara often did at parties back home. Laughing, she made her way to the table and jumped up on it. The crowd noticed her and cheered as she let the music take control of her. Once she was up there, she spun around and practically collided with Zuko.

“Zuko?!?” She asked, stopping to stare at him. She’d had a bit to drink, but was still sober enough to know her eyes didn’t deceive her. He smirked and handed the beer he’d been holding down to someone on the ground.

“You really think I’d let you embarrass yourself alone, Townes?” He asked. She smiled, and he quickly reached over, grabbed her by the waist and dipped her. She yelped in surprise and threw an arm around his neck to avoid falling, then smiled up at him.   
  
“I guess not.” She said breathlessly. He smiled and brought her back to standing level, and wrapped his arms around her waist. She wrapped hers around his neck, and pulled their faces just inches apart. They stayed that way for the rest of the song, and when it was over Zuko drew her in close and kissed her, hard. Katara felt electricity spark through her and heard the crowd cheer.

“What do you say we get out of here?” Zuko whispered once they pulled apart.   
  
“I thought you’d never ask.” Katara replied.

Neither of them had driven here, so they walked back to campus together, hand in hand, and stumbling slightly due to the alcohol they’d both consumed. Once they reached the house, they headed straight for Zuko’s room and practically collapsed. Neither of them said anything for a few moments, before Katara leaned over and kissed him, with equal passion to the one on the table top earlier.

Zuko drew her in so she sat on his lap as they kissed, and Katara found herself tangled up in him for quite some time.

***

The next morning, Zuko woke up to find Katara laying next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. He looked down at her peacefully sleeping away and smiled. His head was pounding, and he definitely couldn’t tell you everything that had happened last night if you asked him, so he knew he had been drinking, but she was still wearing her swimsuit and he was still in his swim trunks- though his shirt was long gone- so he knew they hadn’t gone too far. He climbed out of bed and grabbed some of the painkillers he kept in his nightstand for hangovers, and took one for his head. He got a cup of water from the bathroom and left it on the nightstand with a pill for Katara, then headed over to his desk to work on the song before she woke up.

_ She’s got a book for every situation _

_ Gets into parties without invitations _

_ How could you ever turn her down? _ _  
_ _ There’s not a drink that I think could sink her _

_ How would I tell her that she’s all I think about _

_ Well I guess she just found out _

He glanced back at his lyrics, pretty proud to have two verses already completed. All he needed was a chorus, bridge and to finish up the last bit of instrumentation, and he’d be able to surprise her. In truth, that was part of the reason he made the deal with her, he wanted to make sure she heard the song at the very first show they would perform it at. He imagined it, hopefully it would be in time for their big show in a few weeks, him searching for those blue eyes in the crowd, telling the audience how he wrote this song about the most unique, beautiful, amazing girl he’d ever met, the look on her face when she realized he meant her. He glanced over at the bass that hung on the wall, that she’d said she loved the color of that first night in his room, and quickly opened up his instrumental notes and put himself down to take bass for the song. He’d never used his blue bass on stage, and he couldn’t think of a better time to debut it.

He looked back at her, and she was still sound asleep on his bed, snuggled under his red and black sheets. He smiled to himself and shut his laptop, before crossing the room and leaning over and softly kissing her forehead. He figured he should make them breakfast, so he headed downstairs to the kitchen to get cooking. He decided to make pancakes, and got to work right away. Just a few minutes later he heard someone come down the stairs and head for the door.

“Not so fast, Townes.” He said, not even looking up from the pancake he was flipping. She walked into the kitchen, her face flushed and her arms wrapped around her bare stomach.   
  
“You don’t have to make me breakfast.” She said, surveying the kitchen. 

“I’m not going to let you sneak out of here alone, Townes.” He said, pouring the next round of batter into the pan and glancing up at her. “I’m a  _ gentleman. _ ”   
  
“That you are.” She replied, smiling.

“Did you get the pill and water I left you?” He asked. She nodded. “Good. You must be freezing in that bathing suit, go ahead back upstairs and take anything you want from my closet, and if you need to take off your makeup or whatever, I’m sure Smellerbee has something you can use. I’ll have breakfast ready in a few, okay?”

“Wow. Thanks, Z.” She said. He smiled at her, before she turned and headed back upstairs. He heard her talking quietly with Smellerbee, and Smellerbee happily invited her into her room, and chuckled as he finished up breakfast.   
  
She returned a few moments later, her hair tied in a messy low bun, her face freshly washed, and wearing one of his flannels- a red, black, yellow and white one that somehow matched her swimsuit and black denim shorts perfectly- and took a seat at the counter.   
  
“What, not going to sit on the countertop?” He teased passing her a plate.   
  
“I have class, you know.” She replied, rolling her eyes as she took the plate. He laughed and took a seat next her. Jet and Pipsqueak- another member of the band- came in a few minutes later and Pipsqueak’s jaw dropped at the sight of a girl other than Smellerbee in the kitchen, which earned him a kick in the shins from Jet that Katara didn’t notice and Zuko pretended not to see. Jet and Katara exchanged hellos as he and Pipsqueak helped themselves to some pancakes before excusing themselves to the back porch to eat.   
  
Once they finished breakfast, Katara insisted on helping clean up, so they quickly tidied up the kitchen and left the leftovers for the rest of the house, before Katara noted that she should probably get going.   
  
“Sokka and Suki are probably worried sick.” She joked, as they leaned back against the counter. Zuko groaned and rested the back of his head on the cabinet behind him.

“Sokka might just kill me for letting you spend the night.” He mumbled.    
  
“Hey…” Katara said softly, reaching over and taking his hand. “Don’t worry about Sokka. At some point he’d just going to have to get used to… this.” He leaned down and kissed her softly.

“I know Townes, he’s just being a good brother.” He said once they pulled apart, his hand still resting on her cheek. She bit her lip and smiled.

“Exactly.” She said. “Walk me home?”   
  
“Of course. Did you leave anything upstairs?” He asked. She shook her head, so he took her hand and they stepped outside, right into the bright sunny morning.

Soon enough, they reached her dorm, so she reached up on her tippy toes and kissed him once more.   
  
“Thanks for everything Z. I had a lot of fun.” She said.

“Me too. See you soon?” He asked hopefully.

“Definitely.” She replied, before turning and heading in the door. He watched her get in, before he felt his phone vibrate with a text. It was someone from the party the night before, sending him a picture of him and Katara dancing on the tabletop, that showed them dancing, their faces inches apart, both of them vibrant with laughter. Zuko looked back up at the building and smiled.

  
Once he got home, he quickly grabbed the photo paper he kept in his desk and printed the picture. He held it for a moment once it came out, and just looked at it, taking in the small snapshot of the previous night. Then, he grabbed his tape and hung it on the photo wall above his bed, right next to the picture she had taken on the beach on their date, and the two photos created a rapidly growing section just for her, right next to his favorite pictures with the band.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey !! me again, bc i have something exciting to share with y’all !!! zutara fanwork appreciation week was just recently, and a friend of mine michelle drew a super cool movie poster for this au !! here’s a link to the piece, please go check it out and give her some love !! thank you again for the amazing art michelle, love you !! [carolina movie poster](https://twitter.com/nephil1mshield/status/1330553087296237571?s=21)


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